Canada bows out of World Juniors without medals after 2-1 loss to Russia in bronze fight

Daniel Nugent-Bowman, Postmedia News01.05.2014

Canada players (left to right) Anthony Mantha, Zach Fucale and Charles Hudon react after losing 2-1 to Russia in the bronze medal game at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships in Malmo, Sweden on Sunday, January 5, 2014. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Frank Gunn)
/ Postmedia News

Russia forward Alexander Barabanov eyes the puck as Canada goaltender Zachary Fucale makes a save during second period Bronze Medal game action at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships in Malmo, Sweden on Sunday, January 5, 2014. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Frank Gunn)THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Frank Gunn
/ Postmedia News

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MALMO, Sweden – Team Canada left the ice at Malmo Arena on Sunday, after a 2-1 loss, the same way they did a year ago.

For the second-straight world junior championship, a defeat to Russia in the bronze-medal game means the Canadians are returning home without a medal.

That has never happened since Hockey Canada created its Program of Excellence in 1982 – essentially when the organization began sending the country’s best players to the under-20 tournament.

“We didn’t make it. That can’t happen,” said alternate captain Jonathan Drouin, the only Canadian to play in last year’s 6-5 overtime loss.

“Two years where Canada didn’t get a medal. That’s unacceptable.”

Playing less than 24 hours after a 5-1 loss to Finland in the semifinal, the Canadians desperately wanted to make amends.

However, they were still feeling the effects of missing out on playing in the gold-medal game for the third time in as many years.

“That’s the one we’re going to remember and regret,” defenceman Mathew Dumba said. “We didn’t show up for that one. It was probably our worst game and the worst timing.”

Canada surrendered two goals in the first period – a power-play marker to Mikhail Grigorenko and a shot off a rush by Eduard Gimatov.

They weren’t able to solve Russian netminder Andrei Vasilevski until just past the seven-minute mark of the third.

That was all they would get.

The Canadians were left to stand on the blue-line after the buzzer sounded and watch the Russians receive their medals.

“Those guys said it feels better bringing home something than nothing,” said 17-year-old defenceman Aaron Ekblad of the pre-game message relayed by Drouin and fellow returnees Griffin Reinhart and Jake Paterson.

“I’m sure it would right now. It’s not a good feeling.”

“When you put on this crest and try and represent your country and can’t even bring a medal back to Canada … it’s heartbreaking,” Canadian captain Scott Laughton added.

For the Russians, it was time to rejoice.

Sunday’s win was their fourth over Canada in the last five meetings at the event.

They’ve won three in a row: the 2011 gold-medal, 2012 semifinal and 2013 bronze-medal games.

“On one side, I’m thinking: ‘We beat Canada.’ Then we went up to get the medals. It goes to together.”

“I’m really happy to beat Canada again,” he added. “It’s always a special feeling to beat the Canadians. They’re a good team, but we were a little better today.”

The margin of victory was small. Canada outshot the oppisition 32-31.

“I think we played a very good game,” goaltender Zach Fucale said. “Obviously, it wasn’t good enough to win. We don’t want to make excuses.

“It’s just tough to swallow right now.”

The Canadians just never got on even terms after falling behind.

That was a common thread throughout the tournament.

They allowed the first goal in all but one of their 10 games, including pre-tournament contests.

“We’re starting games always 1-0 down,” Drouin said. “We did that throughout the tournament. Obviously that didn’t help.”

Canada’s offence dried up in the knockout stage. The forwards scored just three times in the last three games of the tournament.

Defenceman Josh Morrissey netted Canada’s lone goal on Sunday.

“I think (we were) a little too cute,” said forward Curtis Lazar, who finished the tournament with three goals and four assists. “We’re trying to get that perfect passing play instead of throwing pucks to the net.

“We started to do that today. We probably should have gotten rewarded a couple of times. Those habits, they come back and bite us in the end.”

The Canadians failed to score on five power-play chances.

As a result, they lost their third game of the tournament.

The last time they lost that many games in one tourney was in 1998 when they lost four times and finished eighth.

More than anything, it’s the timing of the losses that stings.

“It’s been two years now,” Drouin said. “Obviously, it’s going to bother me for a while now.”

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Canada bows out of World Juniors without medals after 2-1 loss to Russia in bronze fight

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